“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

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The moment you give your life to the Lord the Holy Spirit takes His place among you. All you have to do is have faith in Jesus Christ. There’s a difference between indwelling and infilling of the Spirit of God. All who look to Jesus for salvation carry the seal of the Holy Spirit, John 7 refers to it as “living waters”. Ephesians 1:13 says “And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.” 

What’s the purpose of receiving the Spirit upon believing? Glad you asked. 2 Corinthians 1:22 says “ and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.” another translation says “a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.” The Holy Spirit is the first deposit for the wonderful things God has planned for us! You’re marked as His own by this wonderful Spirit!

John 14:16-17 says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.  He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” Do you see it? Jesus said He would send a helper to us. This Helper is someone we’re familiar with because “He lives with us” but soon this same Helper “will be in you.”

Acts 2:4 states, “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.” Being filled with the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is something you must desire. 1 Corinthians 12 talks about the gifts God has given to every believer, one of them being the gift of tongues. How do we get it? 1 Corinthians 12:31, “So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.” You must first earnestly desire to get it. YOU’VE GOTTA WANT IT!

You must quit writing it off as something a few elders of your church have. If you’re embarrassed you won’t get it.  You must first see it as a gift then recognize how valuable it is!